Nicole Boivin

Nicole Boivin serves as a Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology and holds an Honorary Professorship at the University of Queensland. Formerly director of the Department of Archaeology at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History (July 2016–March 2022), she maintains affiliations as an Affiliated Researcher at the University of Calgary and Smithsonian Institution.

Education

• BSc in Cellular, Molecular and Microbial Biology, University of Calgary (1992)
• MPhil in Archaeology, University of Cambridge (1996)
• PhD in Archaeology, University of Cambridge (2001)

Research Interests: Boivin conducts multi-disciplinary archaeological research bridging natural sciences and humanities, examining long-term human history through biological, cultural, and ecological entanglements. Her fieldwork across Asia and Africa investigates Pleistocene human dispersals, Indian Ocean trade networks, and contemporary applications of archaeological data to climate change, food security, and migration patterns within the Anthropocene framework.

Scientific Awards

• Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London

Grants and Mentoring: Secured major funding from the European Research Council, National Geographic Society, Natural Environment Research Council UK, Australian Research Council, British Academy, and Arts and Humanities Research Council UK. Actively mentors students and researchers while promoting equitable research environments.

Research Leadership: Directs a research group at the Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology committed to diversity, transparency, and anti-discriminatory policies, with editorial roles at Anthropocene and American Journal of Archaeology.